From the DRC to Burundi: Surviving and Reclaiming Light

Every refugee's journey is different, and so are their needs. That's why we meet people where they are, to better understand how to help. Standing in solidarity with people—rather than assuming we know what’s best—ensures we provide effective support and aid that’s truly needed.

Over the past few years, we’ve worked deeply with people affected by increasing militia violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a mineral rich country in central Africa. For decades, external exploitation and global greed for resources like cobalt and gold have fueled over 100 different militia groups. These groups fight for control of mining territory, leaving a trail of displacement and systemic violence in their wake. Many Congolese people, like Lisa, just recently fled to the neighboring country of Burundi. Others, like Nyamaneza, arrived in Burundi many years ago, and have struggled to find a stable path forward.

We met Lisa during a distribution of emergency aid in Burundi’s Rutana refugee camp.

Lisa is from Goma, a vibrant city of 2 million residents on the shore of Lake Kivu. She spent her days caring for her parents, children, and younger siblings. In a city known for its festive music and bustling port, Lisa led a dignified life built on the profound sense of community that defines the Congo.

Aerial view shows Lake Kivu and the skyline of the city of Goma, October 21, 2023. REUTERS/Arlette Bashizi

That peace was shattered in early 2025. Renewed violence by the armed rebel group M23 turned Goma’s neighborhoods into battlefields. Bombs fell across the city, homes were torched and looted, and soldiers tore hundreds of families apart.

“M23 entered my house and killed my father, my mother, my grandmother in front of my eyes. I fled with my little kids and my little siblings to Rwanda, and then our passports were taken. So I came to the Burundi border with no documents, no passport. We were told to go to the UN refugee agency.”

Lisa is among over 80,000 Congolese refugees who have fled to neighboring Burundi in the past year. While Burundi is a nation of rich geography—filled with rolling green mountains and the vastness of Lake Tanganyika—it’s also a country where over 70% of the population lives in stark poverty. The arrival of thousands of Congolese families like Lisa’s pushed already limited resources to the breaking point.

These tents house hundreds of Congolese people who have fled violence.

Safety from the militia didn’t mean an end to Lisa’s challenges. In the Rutana refugee camp, the situation is absolutely desperate. Originally built for 3,000 people, the camp now swells with over 20,000 residents crammed into makeshift tents. Food is scarce and disease runs rampant. As people huddle together on cold dirt floors, hope seems to be out of reach.

“Life here is extremely difficult. We survive on half a cup of beans per week. The nights are cold, and the washrooms are so dirty that people are getting constant infections.”

Our incredible team distributing aid.

Through LHI’s emergency relief efforts and our local partners, we’ve provided hundreds of Congolese refugee families with critical aid including food, blankets, and tarps. Under such dire conditions, these items helped Lisa claim a much needed sense of dignity and security.

“It’s so cold, so I will use this blanket to cover myself and my children. We can finally get some rest. And the parcel you brought us with beans will help us. Thank you so much for coming to help us. ”

Families can raise and breed goats for meat and income.

While emergency aid is vital for newcomers like Lisa, long-term rebuilding requires opportunity. Through conversations with refugee communities, we learned that one of the best paths to independence is livestock ownership. For refugees living in under-resourced camps, owning and breeding farm animals like goats opens the door to a brighter future. We also provide training and professional veterinary care to set families up for long-term success.

Nyamaneza is from the DRC, and now lives in Burundi with her four children.

During a goat distribution in Burundi’s Musasa refugee camp, we met Nyamaneza. Her story represents the long-term reality of displacement. She fled the DRC 18 years ago, and she's struggled to get by every day since then.

“Burundi is safe, but I was living in a small, borrowed space. We don’t have resources. I felt like I lost the light. So I was so happy to receive these two goats. These goats are not just animals. They are the seed for my business.”

By raising and breeding her new goats, Nyamaneza can feed her kids and send them to school.

With the help of her two older sons, Nyamaneza is meticulously managing her herd. Together, they’re reclaiming the light that seemed so out of reach.

“My goal is to build a small herd. Then, I can sell the baby goats and use that money to start a small business selling tomatoes and food. I will be able to support my four children on my own.”

Nyamaneza and other community members also agreed that when their first female goat is born, they'll gift it to another family in need. This way, the impact of a goat is multiplied, lifting up more families and equipping them with the resources and hope needed to rebuild.

More than half of the refugees in Burundi are children simply seeking safety.

Hundreds of refugees arrive in Burundi every day, and they are vastly overlooked by the international aid community. With your support, we can continue showing up for the world’s most vulnerable. All of our programs, from our emergency aid distributions to Animal Tracks, are powered by individual donors like you. Donate today to ensure Congolese families can access the exact support they need.

Animal Tracks: Rebuilding with Syrian Refugees in Jordan

Hayley with members of Ebrahem’s family in Madaba, Jordan.

Animal Tracks (originally called Gather for Goats) was born in 2017, when Hayley, LHI’s Founder & CEO, was distributing aid supplies to Syrian refugees in Jordan. When Hayley, who speaks Arabic, asked people what they needed, she was surprised to find the response was overwhelmingly, “goats!”

Many families who fled to Jordan are Bedouin and have been cultivating livestock and crops for generations. Raising goats and sheep is a prosperous and respectable profession. But when the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011, families had to leave everything behind, including their herds—some of which numbered in the hundreds.

Hayley, who has a passion for the Arabic language, loves connecting with people and finding out exactly what they most need to build a better future.

Bedouin families told Hayley that having goats again would improve their lives tremendously. Goat milk provides essential protein, vitamins, and minerals, and any extra milk and milk products can be sold at the market. Families can also breed the goats to grow their herd and earn more income by selling male offspring.

While sitting with Ebrahem’s family, Hayley was treated to a variety of fresh, homemade goat milk products!

The request made sense, so Hayley contacted a professor of agriculture at the University of Jordan in Amman for advice. We were determined not to distribute just any old breed of goat, and decided to carefully select Shami-Baladi crossbreed goats, also known as Damascus goats. These friendly Middle Eastern natives are prolific milk producers, yielding 350 to 650 liters of milk annually, and often giving birth to twins and triplets. Shami goats thrive in hot, arid environments, making them ideal for the Syrian families in Jordan.

Some experts think that Shami goats' long ears help dissipate heat and keep them cooler in hot desert conditions.

After connecting with a local partner organization near the Syrian border in May 2017, we distributed our first 286 Shami goats to 143 Syrian refugee families who live in improvised refugee camps across the Mafraq region.

Ebrahem and his family live in Madaba, Jordan, and they received 2 milk goats from LHI in 2021. Hayley had the opportunity to visit their home and catch up with them to hear about their progress. In just a few years, through breeding and selling male offspring for females, the family turned 2 goats into 25! They were able to move out of the camp into a home nearby.

Ebrahem’s family used the income from breeding and milking their goats to move into a new home, which is close by the goat enclosure pictured above.

Since 2017, we’ve distributed thousands of goats in Jordan, and we’ve followed the Animal Tracks even further. In 2024, we expanded to Uganda with goats, chickens, and pigs for Congolese and Sudanese refugees, and in 2025, we distributed goats and chickens for internally displaced people in Ethiopia. We’re so excited for how far we’ve come, and honored to be supporting so many families on the path to building better futures.

Thank you to our generous donors for making Animal Tracks around the world!

Nyabeza’s Story: Reclaiming Her Livelihood

During an Animal Tracks goat distribution in Uganda’s Kyaka II refugee camp, our team sat down with Nyabeza Nyantebuka, a mother and farmer from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Before arriving in Uganda, Nyabeza lived with her children in eastern DRC, where she made a living raising a large herd of goats and cows. Then, in 2020, her village became trapped in violent conflict. Mai-Mai militia groups burned down her home and stole her animals, forcing Nyabeza and her children to flee.

“I lived in the South Kivu province. I used to have 80 goats. They took them all. We fled with nothing and ran barefoot.”

For over a century, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been a center of conflict, driven by its immense wealth of resources like cobalt and gold and a complex political history. Although the Second Congo War officially ended in 2003, violence between rebel groups remains widespread, especially in eastern DRC.

Nyabeza welcoming the LHI team to her current home in the Kyaka II refugee camp.

In recent years, conflict between armed rebel groups has sharply intensified, resulting in one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. Villages like Nyabeza’s have faced indiscriminate cruelty, forced labor, extortion, and gender-based violence. Over 9.6 million people have been displaced, and over 25.4 million people need humanitarian assistance just to survive.

After a long, terrifying journey, Nyabeza and her children finally joined the 500,000+ other Congolese refugees who have found safety in neighboring Uganda. However, despite Uganda’s progressive policies toward refugee inclusion, life in the refugee settlements is far from easy.

“I only had the clothes I was wearing. My children didn’t have shoes. The UNHCR gave us small things. But we had no other support here. We had no jobs. We had nowhere to farm.”

Without resources or opportunities, the future was uncertain for Nyabeza’s family. But through Animal Tracks, she became the proud owner of two new goats.

“We are farmers, but unfortunately they took that from us. So you did well for us when you gave us these goats. This is a job that we’ve been hoping to have. Now, we can pay for my kids’ school fees. We’re going to buy clothes.”

Since receiving her first two goats, Nyabeza has already grown her flock to 5! She plans to raise the goats well, breeding them, and selling the male offspring for a steady income.

“Thank you so much for giving us these goats. Now, with these goats, none of my children will go barefoot.”

Up close and personal with one of the goats in Nyabeza’s growing herd.

This first step on Nyabeza’s path towards a better, safer future was made possible by generous supporters of Animal Tracks! Over the past eight years, Animal Tracks has transformed the lives of thousands of refugees. Donate a goat, chicken, or pig today to empower another family on our waiting list on the path to rebuilding their lives.

The First Animal Tracks of 2025!

Follow the Animal Tracks to Ethiopia

For centuries, rural agro-pastoral communities in Ethiopia like the Dassenech people have depended on the land to raise farm animals and crops. Everything in their daily life—from the food they eat to the produce they sell at the market—comes from their environment, so their survival is heavily reliant on consistent seasonal patterns and rains. However, extreme climate change over the past decade has caused unpredictable droughts and floods. With each year, more and more farmland and animals either disappear underwater or wither away.

Thousands of Dassenech people have been forced to abandon their livelihoods and traditions, and are struggling to adapt to life in new, unknown territories. With no income or support, getting new animals is an insurmountable challenge. That’s why Animal Tracks can have such a big impact!

The homes in Akudogole are made from sheet metal. They were tricky to get into, but really cozy on the inside.

For this first ever Animal Tracks distribution in Ethiopia, Jaron, Roman, and Tara of our operations team travelled to two villages that have been hit hard by floods: Lokoro and Akudogole. Many of the participating families were led by mothers or people with disabilities, as we wanted to focus our impact on the most vulnerable households. Each family was also given the option to choose between chickens or goats, depending on their own preferences and experiences.

As we sat with Juluk in her home, she told us about her favorite dish, corn flour porridge, and how she’ll be able to make it with milk thanks to her new goats.

Throughout the distribution, the team sat with Dassanech women to hear their stories and plans for their new animals. Many expressed how difficult it was to rebuild from nothing, and how disorienting life felt in a new place without their animals and traditions.

By the end of the distribution, 200 households received new goats and chickens that they will use for reliable food and income. Our project also includes extensive training and follow-ups for families to ensure that they’re able to succeed in this new chapter. For people who have been forced from their land and homes, these farm animals are a step forward in rebuilding their lives.

Getting ready to distribute goats to families in Bweyale, Uganda.

Follow the Animal Tracks Across Uganda

After concluding their work in Ethiopia, Roman and Tara travelled southwest to Uganda. We expanded Animal Tracks to Uganda in 2024, so we were already familiar with the country and its needs. This time, however, we would be holding distributions in two new locations for new communities in the country.

The team’s first stop was the isolated Kiryandongo refugee camp in Bweyale. In October 2024, we visited Kiryandongo to distribute school supplies for Sudanese and South Sudanese children, whose families have come to Uganda seeking safety from extreme violence.

Snapping a few selfies during last year’s school supplies distribution in Bweyale.

Since 2023, a devastating civil war between two major rival factions of Sudan’s military government has displaced more than 12.5 million people, resulting in one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Of that number, over 100,000 thousand Sudanese people have fled to neighboring Uganda, the largest host country for refugees in Africa. However, despite Uganda’s welcoming policies to refugees, resources are strained, and many refugees struggle to reclaim the livelihoods that they were forced to leave behind.

Since we visited Kiryandongo last year, we were incredibly excited to continue our impact in the area through livestock. Kiryandongo is especially cut off from aid compared to other refugee camps in Uganda, so it was even more meaningful for our team to return with goats! With this distribution, 100 families now own two goats each, which they can use to produce milk for cheese and yogurt—both to feed themselves and sell at the market for a stable income.

Preparing for our goat distribution in Gulu.

Making Animal Tracks from Bweyale to Gulu

From Bweyale, the team headed further north to Gulu city, home to a large population of internally displaced Ugandans. For two decades, from 1987 to 2006, guerilla warfare between militant groups and the Ugandan government resulted in a lasting humanitarian crisis throughout northern Uganda. The pain caused was widespread and severe, with civilians subjected to torture, abductions, sexual violence, and massacres. Thousands of Ugandans were forced to leave their belongings and homes behind. Many of the people who were displaced to Gulu are still struggling to rebuild their lives, and the area’s poverty has been exacerbated by the influx of refugees from violent conflicts in neighboring countries.

Our distribution in Gulu was a bit smaller—50 goats for 25 households—than the one in Bweyale, but will still have an immense impact. We specifically focused on connecting with the female heads of multigenerational households, so that the effects of their new animals would be multiplied across families. Our team sat alongside the women as they attended a professional training with a vet—it was clear how excited they were to take good care of their new goats.

We started Animal Tracks with goats for Syrian refugees in Jordan way back in 2017, and we’ve come a long way since! With each distribution, Animal Tracks is helping more families take a step toward stability and self-sufficiency. Whether we’re reaching remote communities displaced by climate change or sitting with families who’ve fled extreme violence, our goal remains the same—to equip refugees with the resources needed to rebuild and thrive.

Meet Elinah: Rewriting a Refugee’s Narrative

By Elinah Iraguha

In October, our team traveled to Uganda for our largest ever Animal Tracks distribution of goats, chickens, and pigs for refugees. During our trip, we sat with recipients to listen to their stories and understand their unique circumstances. This is the story of Elinah, a young woman who persevered through the challenges of life in a refugee camp to pursue her dream of education. Elinah was our translator inside of the camp and she speaks 4 languages! She also sells banana drinks in the market. Now, thanks to Animal Tracks, Elinah has two pigs, which will help her achieve financial stability on her journey to university.

Meet Elinah!

My name is Elinah Iraguha. I’m a 25 year old woman and refugee staying in the Kyaka II refugee settlement in Uganda. I’m the first born of my family, and I live in the camp with my father, my daughter, and my seven younger siblings.

My life has been a series of hardships and triumphs. From a young age, I knew nothing outside of life in the camp, where makeshift tents served as homes and dreams were often stifled by the harsh realities of displacement. Opportunities were scarce and hope seemed like a distant dream. Despite these challenges, I held on to my dreams of education and a better future. I attended the rudimentary primary school nearby, cherishing every moment of learning amidst the chaos and suffering of the camp.

In 2018, life threw me a curveball. My parents didn’t have the funds to provide me with further education. This forced me to look for a job to financially support my family and pay for my siblings’ school fees. Unfortunately, I was not able to find steady employment, and could only volunteer with organizations.

Elinah chatting with Roman and Jessica in the Kyaka II refugee settlement.

In 2019, I was 20 years old and found myself facing the unexpected. I was pregnant. Fear and anxiety gripped my heart as I grappled with the responsibility of raising a child on my own. My parents were unhappy with me, others in the camp judged me, and the child’s father, denying his responsibility, abandoned me.

Then, tragedy struck when I lost my mother to illness. My pillar of strength and support was gone, and my father, struggling with mental illness, began suffering from alcoholism. I was left feeling utterly alone with the responsibility of caring for my baby and seven siblings. I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders, and I even considered committing suicide.

Amidst the darkest days of my life, I found an unyielding resolve to carve out a better future for myself, my child, and my family. I was determined to defy the odds stacked against me, and would do everything in my power to return to school. Through the African Women and Youth Action for Development (AWYAD), I received counseling and guidance, and thanks to a UNHCR education partner, I received support for tuition. My neighbor took care of my child as I studied. Despite the challenges of balancing motherhood and academics, I poured myself into my studies. Each day, I embraced every opportunity to learn and grow, fueled by love and hope for a better future.

In 2023, I proudly completed my secondary level studies as a student parent. Against all odds, I not only finished, I excelled, scoring high marks in biology, agriculture, nutrition, math, and writing. News of my achievement spread through the camp, igniting a spark of hope against the shadows of despair.

Today, standing on the precipice of a new chapter in my life, my eyes are set firmly on the horizon of possibility. I have taken the bold step forward of applying for a scholarship to university. For me, this is not just an opportunity for education, it is a chance to rewrite the narrative of my life. As I wait for the outcome of my application, I know that whatever the future holds, I will face it with the same courage and resilience that has carried me this far.

My journey from a refugee camp to the halls of academia is not just a testament to my resilience, but a beacon of hope for all who dare to defy the odds and forge their own paths.

Why Uganda?

Uganda is called the Pearl of Africa. It is a landlocked country in East Africa whose diverse landscape includes the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains and the immense Lake Victoria. Uganda is also home to 1.7 million refugees (more than any other country in Africa). 

In fact, Uganda has a long history of hosting refugees and asylum seekers, including Polish refugees who fled Europe in the 1940s. Africa’s oldest refugee camp, Nakivale, was established in 1959 in Southwest Uganda and is still operating today. It is currently the 8th largest refugee camp in the world.  

Currently, most refugees come from South Sudan (57%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (32%), Somalia (3%), and Burundi (3%).

Source: UNHCR

The last two years have seen a renewed surge in refugees fleeing to Uganda, as the country is sandwiched between two high conflict countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.

The displacement situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the most complex and long-standing humanitarian crisis in Africa and the fourth largest internally displaced persons (IDP) crisis in the world. Fighting has been ongoing since the DRC gained its independence in 1960. However, in 2023, an escalation in fighting in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo led to widespread human rights violations and gender-based violence. Congolese refugees fled mostly into southern and western Uganda. 

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Sudanese Civil War have also escalated again. Those two forces have been fighting since 2003 and the war in Darfur. Now, the United Nations considers Sudan and South Sudan the most dangerous countries in the world for humanitarian aid workers. Since the escalation in 2023, Sudanese refugees have fled to several neighboring countries, including northern Uganda. 

Uganda is one of the most accessible places for refugees globally, but it relies heavily on aid organizations to serve the refugee communities. Diminishing funding and limited resources mean there is less aid to help as new waves of refugees arrive. To promote self-reliance among refugees, we see a huge need for increased economic opportunities and livelihood support. Only then, can refugees truly integrate into their new homes and achieve the stability of a good life. 

In 2024, LHI expanded our livestock program to give goats and chickens to refugees in Uganda. We now work with two incredible refugee-led partner organizations based in Uganda. Livestock can make a significant difference in the financial stability of refugees in Uganda. 80% of the refugees in Uganda are women and children. 91% of Uganda’s refugee population are considered economically vulnerable. 

Often, many of the women have adopted grandchildren or children from their deceased siblings, which makes family sizes even larger. Nabakunda is the head of household with 14 people. She received two female goats from LHI, one of which was pregnant and quickly birthed a kid. She sold the goat kid to complete payment of her children’s school fees. Rather embarrassingly and disruptively, they kept being sent home from class because the fees were late. 

Verena received 34 chickens from LHI to help support her family of 9 people. She took classes through the refugee camp and came up with an idea for a small business. She used the income from her chickens to start the business selling flour, sugar, oil, rice, and tea in the local market. Now she has additional income to buy food and medicine for her family.

These are two of many success stories that showcase how livestock can empower refugees with stability and self-sufficiency. You can help support refugees like Verena and Nabakunda by buying a chicken or a goat at lhi.org/uganda